Stratford Lodge

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

People using the service said they felt safe. One person said, "I feel really safe living here. I can lock the door to my room."

Staff had been trained to protect people from harm and abuse. All of the staff we spoke with knew how to keep people safe. Incidents and accidents were reported and investigated. Records showed lessons learned from these were shared with staff.

Risk assessments were carried out. Positive risk taking was promoted. One staff member said, "We supported one person to catch the bus on their own; it sounds a small thing to you or I, but to him it was a massive step."

Staff were trained to carry out their roles. Regular in-depth supervisions took place with staff.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Advocacy services were available for people to access.

People using the service spoke highly of the staff. One person said, "Staff encourage us. They ask us if there's anything we want to talk about and help us work towards things we want to achieve." We observed many positive interactions between staff and people using the service.

Support plans were person centred and detailed people's short and long term goals. People were actively involved in these.

Regular feedback was sought from people and their families. Complaints were investigated and resolved appropriately. Many compliments had been received.

There was a strong and visible leadership from the registered manager. They were passionate and focussed about their role. They said, "One of our many successes is building people's independence skills. The team here are very good at supporting people to achieve the things they want." One person said "[The manager] is really good. If I want or need anything, she'll do what she can to make it happen."

There were robust quality assurance processes in place. The service was always seeking ways to improve the outcomes for people.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found